" The Old Testament is responsible for more atheism, agnosticism, disbelief — call it what you will — than any book ever written ; it has emptied more churches than all the counter-attractions of cinema, motor bicycle and golf course.

A story is told that he once painted his face green and rode through town on his bicycle in its honour ( and possibly under its influence ).

Learning how to ride a bicycle is an example of a type of neural plasticity that may take place largely within the cerebellum.

A bicycle, often called a bike ( and sometimes referred to as a " pushbike ", " pedal bike ", " pedal cycle ", or " cycle "), is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other.

A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.

It is regarded as the forerunner of the modern bicycle and was introduced by Drais to the public in Mannheim in summer 1817 and in Paris in 1818.

Starley's 1885 Rover, manufactured in Coventry, England, is usually described as the first recognizably modern bicycle.

This steering is usually provided by the rider, but under certain conditions may be provided by the bicycle itself.

This lean is induced by a method known as countersteering, which can be performed by the rider turning the handlebars directly with the hands or indirectly by leaning the bicycle.

The bicycle is extraordinarily efficient in both biological and mechanical terms.

The bicycle is the most efficient human-powered means of transportation in terms of energy a person must expend to travel a given distance.

In terms of the ratio of cargo weight a bicycle can carry to total weight, it is also an efficient means of cargo transportation.

If the rider is sitting upright, the rider's body creates about 75 % of the total drag of the bicycle / rider combination.

Another style is the recumbent bicycle.

The world's fastest bicycle is a recumbent bicycle but this type was banned from competition in 1934 by the Union Cycliste Internationale.

With hand-operated brakes, force is applied to brake levers mounted on the handlebars and transmitted via Bowden cables or hydraulic lines to the friction pads, which apply pressure to the braking surface, causing friction which slows the bicycle down.

Suspension is especially important on recumbent bicycles, since while an upright bicycle rider can stand on the pedals to achieve some of the benefits of suspension, a recumbent rider cannot.

A cyclist's ability to repair and maintain their own bicycle is also celebrated within the DIY movement.

Typical of his satire and cynical humour, the book included a discourse on Parkinson's Law of Triviality ( debates about expenses for a nuclear plant, a bicycle shed, and refreshments ), a note on why driving on the left side of the road ( see road transport ) is natural, and suggested that the Royal Navy would eventually have more admirals than ships.

Procedural memory allows us to remember actions and motor sequences ( e. g. how to ride a bicycle ) and is often dubbed implicit knowledge or memory.

In many countries, the most commonly used vehicle for road transport is a utility bicycle.

The price of a new bicycle can range from US $ 50 to more than US $ 20, 000 ( the highest priced bike in the world is the custom Madone by Damien Hirst, sold at $ 500, 000 USD ), depending on quality, type and weight ( the most exotic road bicycles can weigh as little as 3. 2 kg ( 7 lb )).

In areas in which cycling is popular and encouraged, cycle-parking facilities using bicycle stands, lockable mini-garages, and patrolled cycle parks are used in order to reduce theft.

The land is very flat and full of public bicycle trails where cyclists are not bothered by cars and other traffic, which makes it ideal for cycling recreation.

Skipping is an activity not only suited for competition or recreation, but also for a cardiovascular workout, similar to jogging or bicycle riding.

A fixed-gear bicycle is particularly well suited for track stands, a manoeuvre in which the bicycle can be held stationary, balanced upright with the rider's feet on the pedals.

But whenever a major purchase was contemplated forty years ago -- a new bedroom set or a winter coat, an Easter bonnet, a bicycle for Junior -- the family set off for the downtown department store, where the selection would be greatest.

He adopted Ubu's ridiculous and pedantic figures of speech ; for example, he referred to himself using the royal we, and called the wind " that which blows " and the bicycle he rode everywhere " that which rolls ".

Some double-decker bridges only use one level for street traffic ; the Washington Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis reserves its lower level for automobile traffic and its upper level for pedestrian and bicycle traffic ( predominantly students at the University of Minnesota ).

Likewise, in Toronto, the Prince Edward Viaduct has five lanes of motor traffic, bicycle lanes, and sidewalks on its upper deck ; and a pair of tracks for the Bloor – Danforth subway line on its lower deck.

They also provide a popular form of recreation, and have been adapted for such uses as children's toys, adult fitness, military and police applications, courier services and bicycle racing.

Several components that eventually played a key role in the development of the automobile were invented for the bicycle, including ball bearings, pneumatic tires, chain-driven sprockets, and tension-spoked wheels.

These models were known as dwarf safeties, or safety bicycles, for their lower seat height and better weight distribution ( although without pneumatic tires the ride of the smaller-wheeled bicycle would be much rougher than that of the larger-wheeled variety ).

These innovations have continued with the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design, allowing for a proliferation of specialized bicycle types.

A BMX bike, an example of a bicycle designed for sport Bicycles can be categorized in different ways: e. g. by function, by number of riders, by general construction, by gearing or by means of propulsion.

Because of its persistent image as a " women's " bicycle, step-through frames are not common for larger frames.

Modern bicycle brakes may be: rim brakes, in which friction pads are compressed against the wheel rims ; internal hub brakes, in which the friction pads are contained within the wheel hubs ; or disc brakes, with a separate rotor for braking.

More specialized bicycle components may require more complex tools, including proprietary tools specific for a given manufacturer.

A number of formal and industry standards exist for bicycle components to help make spare parts exchangeable and to maintain a minimum product safety.

Other possible accessories for the bicycle include front and back lights, bells or horns, disc brakes, child carrying seats, cycling computers with GPS, locks, bar tape, fenders ( mud-guards ), baggage racks, baggage carriers and pannier bags, water bottles and bottle cages.

Items legally required in some jurisdictions, or voluntarily adopted for safety reasons, include bicycle helmets, generator or battery operated lights, reflectors, and audible signalling devices such as a bell or horn.

Bicycle touring, also known as cyclotourism, involves touring and exploration or sightseeing by bicycle for leisure.

Two broad and correlated themes run in bicycle activism: one is about advocating the bicycle as an alternative mode of transport, and the other is about the creation of conditions to permit and / or encourage bicycle use, both for utility and recreational cycling.